12 Pilates Exercises to Work Your Core (2024)

This set of Pilates exercises is designed to provide you with an at-home routine you can do on a mat, whether you are new or experienced. These exercises develop the core strength, stability, and flexibility for which Pilates is famous.

The muscular focus for each exercise is noted so you can target your routine. Keep in mind that all Pilates exercises engage core abdominal muscles. There are modification notes in the full instructions for each exercise.

Thewarm-up exercisesare important in teaching the foundations of Pilates movement. They also prepare the body for safely executing more challenging exercises later. Even if you skip the later moves, choose at least two or three warm-up exercises to begin each Pilates workout. Put on your leggings, grab a mat, and get started.

1

Ab Scoop

1:02

Watch Now: Ab Scoop Your Way to a Six-Pack

Exercise: Chest Lift/Ab Scoop

Target area: Abdominals—especially the six-pack or rectus abdominis

This is not a crunch. The abdominals must be pulled down into a deep scoop as you use them to control a slow, smooth curl up and roll down. Precision in this type of scoop is one of the secrets of Pilates.

2

The Hundred

1:40

Watch Now: How to Do the Classic Hundred Like a Pro

Exercise: The Hundred

Target area: Abdominals, breathing

Your abdominals will be deeply pulled in, so you will use your full lung capacity by breathing into your back and lower ribs. Use your abs to hold yourself up—don't let your neck and shoulders do all the work.

3

The Roll Up

1:56

Watch Now: How to Do a Roll Up

Exercise: The Roll Up

Target area: Abdominals

Use your abdominals to roll up and down with control. Do not rely on momentum or letting your legs lift off the mat. Pilates is about control, and this is where you build it.

4

One Leg Circle

1:24

Watch Now: How to Do a One Leg Circle

Exercise: One Leg Circle

Target area: Abdominals, thighs, hip flexors

The abdominals keep the pelvis stable as the leg moves. No rocking and rolling! Be sure to use your full range of motion without losing control.

5

Rolling Like a Ball

1:00

Watch Now: How to Nail Rolling Like a Ball

Exercise: Rolling Like a Ball

Target area: Abdominals, spinal mobility

Stay in your curve for the whole exercise. Initiate rolling back with your abs and not falling back or using momentum.

6

Open Leg Balance

0:54

Watch Now: Challenge Your Abs with the Open Leg Balance

Exercise: Open Leg Balance

Target area: Abdominals, hamstring mobility

Use your abdominals and back muscles to control this pose. Try to work with the straightest arms and legs possible. If it doesn't work at first, keep practicing. You'll get there!

7

The Side Kick Series

3:55

Watch Now: 4 Side Kicks to Tone Your Thighs and Core

Exercise: Side Kick Series

Target area: Abdominals, all thigh muscles—especially inner thigh

Work the torso as well as the legs. The ribs should stay supported throughout each repetition. Do not let them sink to the mat.

8

Front Support/Plank

1:30

Watch Now: The Right Way to Plank in Pilates

Exercise: Front Support/Plank

Target area: Back extensors, abdominals, shoulders, arms

Stay in one line from your heels to your ears. Though the focus is somewhat on the upper body, engage your legs and squeeze your glutes, the exercise will be easier.

9

Saw

1:20

Watch Now: The Pilates Saw is the Ultimate Stretch

Exercise: Saw

Target area: Hamstrings, inner thigh, obliques, back mobility

Keep your hips anchored and level as you twist to the side. Use opposition when reaching forward so you also reach back.

10

Mermaid

1:10

Watch Now: Reward Your Body with the Mermaid Side Stretch

Exercise: Mermaid

Target area: Side stretch

Bend your body directly sideways as you stretch, as though you were between two sheets of glass. Keep the hip on your stretching side down.

11

Swan Prep

1:25

Watch Now: How to Do the Swan Stretch for Your Front Body

Exercise: Swan Prep

Target area: Back extensors, abdominal stretch

Swan provides a wonderful counter stretch to the many forward flexion exercises we do in Pilates. This is an everyday move.

12

Wall Roll Down

Exercise: Wall Roll Down

Target area: Abdominals, back, and hamstring stretch

Use this exercise to transition from your Pilates routine to carrying good posture into your daily life.

2 Sources

Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Fleming KM, Herring MP. The effects of pilates on mental health outcomes: A meta-analysis of controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2018;37:80-95. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2018.02.003

  2. Byrnes K, Wu PJ, Whillier S. Is Pilates an effective rehabilitation tool? A systematic review. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2018;22(1):192-202. doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.04.008

12 Pilates Exercises to Work Your Core (1)

By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT
Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years.

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12 Pilates Exercises to Work Your Core (2024)

FAQs

Which Pilates is best for core strength? ›

20 Pilates exercises for core strength
  • Bear hold and drop. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. ...
  • Single leg tabletop hold. Begin on your back with your arms down at your sides with legs bent and feet on the floor. ...
  • Sidekick. ...
  • Scissor kick. ...
  • Plank pike. ...
  • Leg circles. ...
  • Forearm plank dips. ...
  • Pilates pelvic tilt.

What are the 4 S's of Pilates? ›

Pilates is a functional form of fitness that aims to enhance mobility by integrating and working the four S's: Strength, Stamina, Stretch and Stability. Inadvertently, every Pilates exercise incorporates these working points.

Will Pilates strengthen my core? ›

Pilates involves a series of precise movements to strengthen your core muscles while making you more flexible. You'll typically do it on a mat or with special equipment. Classes usually last 45 minutes to an hour.

How long does Pilates take to strengthen the core? ›

Weeks 3-4: Improved Flexibility and Core Strength

After a few weeks of regular pilates practice, individuals may begin to notice improvements in their flexibility and core strength. Pilates movements target the muscles of the core, including the abdominals, back, and hips.

How long does it take to see results from Pilates? ›

In summary, you can expect to see results from your Pilates practice within a few weeks to a few months, depending on various factors. Remember that consistency, quality instruction, and patience are essential components of your Pilates journey.

What are the 5 pillars of Pilates? ›

Whether performed on a mat or on specialized equipment, Pilates that incorporates modern theories of exercise science and spinal rehabilitation should involve the following biomechanical principles: breathing, pelvic placement, rib cage placement, scapular movement and stabilization, and head and cervical placement.

What are the 6 rules of Pilates? ›

The 6 Pilates principles (Breath, Concentration, Control, Precision, Centre and Flow) were actually created by Joseph's students. They condensed his theories into 6 simple ideas to make his method accessible for future generations of students.

What is the 80 20 rule in Pilates? ›

The 80/20 rule simply means: 80% of the effects come from 20% of the things u do. 20% from exercise. It isn't just about the weight loss but actually about the fat loss and muscle gain.

What is considered the hardest Pilates workout? ›

The boomerang is considered one of the hardest Pilates exercises, as it requires every muscle in your body to do. How to do it: Sit tall on your mat, legs in front of you, ankles crossed, and hands by your sides. Scoop your belly and round back, lowering yourself onto your mat one vertebra at a time.

What is ABC in Pilates? ›

The most important Pilates principles are: A Alignment. B Breathing. C Core Centre Concentration Control, followed by Flow and Precision. Before any movement, think 'ABC' – A for Alignment, B for breathing and C for Core, Centre and Control !

Why does my core hurt after Pilates? ›

Many new Pilates practitioners report muscle soreness for one or two days after a class, known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is different from a muscle strain which causes pain immediately. With DOMS, you don't notice it until the next day.

What happens if you do Pilates every day? ›

Scientific research shows that doing Pilates regularly can help improve spinal deformity and posture. This is because it emphasizes moving the body in a way that centers around optimal alignment, correcting imbalances.

What is the 3 2 8 method for weight loss? ›

What Is the 3-2-8 Workout? There are two variations on the 3-2-8 workout around: One has three days of strength training, two of barre and Pilates per week, with 8,000 steps per day; the other swaps the strength and Pilates to be two days of strength, three days of barre/Pilates per week and 8,000 steps per day.

What is the 3/2-1 method in Pilates? ›

The "3-2-1 method" is a weekly workout routine that calls for three days of strength training, two days of Pilates, and one day of cardio or conditioning. This combination is supposed to help deliver consistent, impressive results.

What is the 3-2-1 strength cardio and Pilates method? ›

“The 3-2-1 method is a simple formula to break up your workouts during the week,” says Poling. It incorporates three days of strength training, two days of Pilates, and one day of cardio.

What is the 4 3 2 exercise? ›

IELTS Master Secret Technique: 4/3/2

The 4/3/2 fluency activity is actually quite simple. You speak about the same topic for four minutes, then three minutes, and then finally two minutes. Master's Tip 1: 4/3/2 is best in groups of at least four so you can speak to three different people.

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